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Explore the Craft of Writing Poetry Invented Forms
Shadow Poetry is a poetry community that has been on line since 2000. It encourages poets to "walk out of the shadows with their poetry". It is a popular site with on line poets who, though they may not be contributing members, use the site as a resource. Often they return to their own communities with some new challenge they found at Shadow Poetry or with a new poem inspired by the site's resources. The following forms were found either exclusive to that site or appear to have been invented by Shadow members. Some of these forms are better thought out than others.
7/5 Trochee is an invented stanzaic form, the defining feature is use of catalectic trochaic meter. It was created by Andrea Dietrich for which she offers a couple of variations. The elements of the 7/5 Trochee are:
stanzaic, a minimum of 2 quatrains.
metered, trochaic meter (Stressed syllable followed by an unstressed syllable) with catalectic end words (dropping the unstressed syllable at the end), (L1 and L3 Su Su Su S) (L2 and L4 Su Su S). L1 & L3 are trochaic tetrameter and L2 & L4 are trochaic tri-meter.
rhymed, variable rhyme schemes available, abab cdcd etc. or axax bxbx etc. x being unrhymed or (a/a)x(b/b)x (c/c)x(d/d)x etc with (internal rhyme) in L1 and L3, x being unrhymed. Internal rhyme variable (a/a)b(c/c)b (the internal rhyme may be placed anywhere within the 1st half of the line.) x a x x x x a - x x x x b - x x c x x x c - x x x x b
The meter should be a S=stress u=unstressed with the end trochee dropping the unstressed syllable.
Su Su Su S
Su Su S
Su Su Su S
Su Su S Family Fight Night by Judi Van Gorder
From the den comes shouts and groans
watching boxers dance.
Punches, dodges, muscles, bones
crunch, they hold their stance.
Fight on pay per view tonight,
guys around TV.
Wives in kitchen share a bite
while the kids run free.
A L'Arora is a stanzaic invented verse form. It was created by Laura Lamarca. The defining features of The L'Arora are:
stanzaic, written in any number of alternating sixains and couplets.
unmetered.
rhymed, rhyme scheme xxxxxa xa xxxxxb xb xxxxxc xc xxxxxd xd etc. x being unrhymed. Route 91 Harvest Festival by Judi Van Gorder
Three day venue of fun,
down home western music
blares from concert stage
where three thousand gather
to listen to country stars.
Finale just begun.
Popping sounds intervene
rapid sound from a gun
Fans crouched in the darkness
bullets skipped off the ground,
ricocheted into the crowd.
Chaos, panic and pain,
hundreds running, wounded.
Fifty eight dead tonight.
High up across the way,
coward leaves no insight.
The Alouette (French for Skylark) is a stanzaic invented form with a syllabic meter which is meant to be an expression of the skylark's song. The form is syllabic with a recommended prominent stress in the 3rd syllable of each line. It was created by Jan Turner. The elements of the Alouette are:
stanzaic, any number of sixains.
syllabic , 5-5-7-5-5-7 syllables per line with the prominent stress in the 3rd syllable of each line.
rhymed, rhyme scheme aabccb ddeffe gghiih etc. Month of August by Judi Van Gorder
Begun as month six,
eighth after the fix,
named for Emperor of Rome.
Just thirty-one days,
in hot summer haze
Augustus ascended his throne.
The Blitz Poem is a recent invented verse form found on line at Shadow Poetry, it was created by a New York, English teacher and poet,Robert Keim. As the name implies it is meant to be written with a rush of phrases and images in rapid repetition as if creating a sudden and intense attack on the senses. It is a kind of twisted Chain Verse. The elements of the Blitz are:
stanzaic, written in 25 couplets, a total of 50 lines.
unmetered. Lines should be short, but at least 2 words, like rapid fire.
unrhymed.
composed with words that are repeated from line to line in a chain like pattern:
L1 A short phrase, can be cliché.
L2 The first word of L1 is repeated as the first word of L2. From here on, the last word of the even numbered line is repeated as the first word of each line in the next couplet through L48.
L49 is the repetition of the last word of L48. (1 word line only)
L50 is the repetition of the last word of L47. (1 word line only)
unpunctuated.
titled, which includes the first word of L3 and L47 bridged by a conjunction or preposition.
Faith and Hope by Judi Van Gorder
Sonoma strong
Sonoma faith
Faith and grit
Faith fleeing
Fleeing in fear
Fleeing the storm
Storm of fire
Storm of loss
Loss of home
Loss in a roar
Roar through trees
Roar sending sparks
Sparks fly
Sparks ignite grass
Grass burns
Grass then homes.
Homes of years
Homes of families
Families scattered
Families missing all
All treasures
All threatened
Threatened by smoke
Threatened by fire
Fire surrounds
Fire devours
Devours survival
Devours escape
Escape to safe haven
Escape the flames
Flames heat unbearable
Flames scatter pets.
Pets left behind
Pet abandoned to fend
Fend for themselves
Fend with wildlife
Wildlife scorched
Wildlife wounded
Wounded is our spirit
Wounded but not broken
Broken dreams
Broken future
Future hopes
Future in process
Process to cope
Process to survive
Survive this moment
Survive with hope
Hope
survives.
The Brevette is a small verse form invented by Emily Romano, Shadow Poetry and is almost the same frame as the Trio without the rhyme. It is defined by its brevity. The elements of the Brevette are:
a tristich, a poem in 3 lines,
composed in 3 words, a subject (noun), verb, and object (noun) in that order. The words are not limited by syllable count, "but the poem should have balance". It was suggested that the verb be spaced to give it the appearance of on going action.
unrhymed. poet
p e n s
prosody
--- jvg This is not going to be high poetry.
Cascade is a verse form found at Shadow Poetry that attempts to capture "the smooth cascading rhythm of a waterfall". It is set up with repeated lines similar to a Pantun. It was created by Udit Bhatia. The elements of the Cascade are:
stanzaic, made up of 4 tercets or 5 quatrains or 6 cinquains or 7 sixains etc.
accentual, the rhythm of natural speech.
unrhymed.
composed with a refrain. The lines of the first stanza are sequentially repeated as the last line of the subsequent stanzas. ABC xxA xxB xxC or ABCD xxxA xxxB xxxC xxxD or ABCDE xxxxA xxxxB xxxxC xxxxD xxxxE, x being unrhymed. Vote by Judi Van Gorder
Cinq Trois Deca La Rhyme an invented form found at Shadow Poetry, created by Laura Lamarca. The elements of the Cinq Trois Deca La Rhyme are:
a decastich, a poem in 10 lines.
syllabic, 15 syllables per line.
rhymed, rhyme scheme aabbcccabc.
Clarity Pyramid was invented by Jerry P Quinn and is another form found at Shadow Poetry. This verse focuses on defining the first word of the poem. The elements of the Clarity Pyramid are:
a heptastich, made up a 2 tercets followed by a single line.
syllabic, L1 1 syllable, L2 2 syllables, L3 3 syllables, L4 5 syllables, L5 6 syllables, L6 7 syllables and the last L8 is 8 syllables.
L1 is capitalized and is the theme and title of the poem.
L2 and L3 are synonyms for L1.
L4, L5, L6 provide concrete images of L1.
L7 is a phrase to define L1 (this line is written with quotation marks) TIME
moment
eternal
a second hand moves
without haste or concern
moving in circumference
"which antiquates antiquities". "Time which antiquates antiquities, and hath an art to make dust of all things." by Sir Thomas Brown (1605-1682) Religio Medici
Compound Word Verse is an invented verse form that uses a stem word from the title to end each stanza in a compound form. Created by Margaret R Smith and found at Shadow Poetry. (stem word = rain) stanza end words could be rainbow, rainfall, raincoat, raindrop, rainstorm etc. The elements of the Compound Word Verse are:
stanzaic, written in 5 tercets.
syllabic, 8-8-3 syllables per line.
rhymed, rhyme scheme aax bbx ccx ddx eex; x being unrhymed.
each tercet ends with a compound of a stem word in the title.
The Constanza is a woven poem similar in effect to the Cleave or Trigee.It was invented by Connie Marcum Wong and can be found at Shadow Poetry. The elements of the Constanza are:
stanzaic, written in 3 or more tercets.
syllabic, 8 syllable lines.
rhymed, the a stanzaic linking rhyme carried by L1 of each tercet followed by rhymed couplets. abb acc add aee aff etc.
composed so that if L1 of each tercet was read in sequence it should create a stand alone poem. L2 and L3 of each tercet is an expansion on the first line woven in to give deeper understanding, thus creating 2 poems in one.
The Con-Verse created by Connie Marcum Wong, is an invented verse form similar to Converse in Couplets. Although the Shadow Poetry description doesn't require it be written as exchanged dialogue, the name infers it. The elements of the Con-Verse are:
stanzaic, written in 5 couplets. For a longer poem, repeat the pattern.
syllabic, 7-7 8-8 9-9 10-10 11-11 syllables, in that sequence.
rhymed, rhyme scheme aa bb cc dd ee. Conversation at the Office by Judi Van Gorder
The Decuain seems to be a 10 x 10 poem, found only at Shadow Poetry and created by Shelley A. Cephas. The elements of the Decuain are:
stanzaic, written in any number of 10 line stanzas.
metered, iambic pentameter or 10 syllables.
rhymed, ababbcbcaa, ababbcbcbb, or ababbcbccc.
The Diatelle is similar to the etheree but longer and with rhyme. It can be found at Shadow Poetry and was created by Bradley Vrooman. The elements of the Diatelle are:
15 line poem.
syllabic, 1-2-3-4-6-8-10-12-10-8-6-4-3-2-1,
rhymed, rhyme scheme abbcbccaccbcbba.
often center aligned which creates a diamond shape.
The Duo-rhyme turns on only 2 rhymes. It was found at Shadow Poetry and was created by Mary L. Ports. The elements of the Duo-rhyme are:
either a decastich or a dodecastich, at the choice of the poet.
metered, iambic tetrameter.
rhymed, aabbbbbbaa or aabbbbbbbbaa.
Epulaeryu verse is a homage to the main course of a meal. It was created and named by Joseph Spence Sr. after his experience in the Mediterranean and Far East, obviously enjoying the culinary arts there. It was found at Shadow Poetry. The elements of the Epulaeryu are:
a heptastich, a poem in 7 lines.
syllabic, 7-5-7-5-5-3-1 syllable per line.
punctuated with an exclamation mark at the end of L7!
composed with one thought per line focused on the main course of a meal. The final line should express the poet's emotion regarding the meal.
rhymed at the poet's discretion. Comfort Food by Judi Van Gorder
Nothing exotic tonight
just down home cooking
but it fills up the stomach
and tantalizes
taste buds with goodness
Mom's Pot Pie,
Yum!
Essence is a rhyming hexasyllabic couplet with internal rhyme with a twist. Normally in English prosody "internal rhyme" refers to a word within the line rhyming with the end word of that line or the end word of the previous line. However in this verse form internal rhyme refers to words from somewhere within the line rhyming internally within the next line, it could be 1 or 2 rhymes. (This could be tricky in only 6 short syllables.) Found at ShadowPoetry.com and attributed to Emily Romano, published in P.O.E.T. magazine in 1981. The elements of the Essence are:
stanzaic, written in any number of couplets.
syllabic, hexasyllabic lines.
end rhymed as well as interlaced rhyme. x b x x c a b x c x x a The b and c interlaced rhymes may be placed in any position within the lines, the c rhyme is optional. Two short lines with end rhyme
sort within, tend to time. ---Judi Van Gorder
The Florette was invented by Jan Turner. It appears to be her attempt to emulate in poetic form, the growth of a flower by lengthening the last line of each stanza longer than the others, showing growth. The Florette is stanzaic, written in any number of either quatrains or cinquains:
When written in quatrains the elements of the Florette are:
syllabic, quatrains 8-8-8-12
rhymed, quatrains aaba ccdc etc with internal cross rhyme from L3 to L4.
x x x x x x x a
x x x x x x x a
x x x x x x x b
x x x x x x x b x x x a
enjambed, L3 and L4 must be enjambed without endstop in L3. Prelude by Judi Van Gorder
When written in cinquains the elements of the Florette # 2 are:
metric, accentual syllabic, L1 thru L4 iambic tetrameter (4 metric feet) and L5 iambic heptameter (6 metric feet).
rhymed, aabba ccddc etc. no internal rhyme suggested.
enjambment not a requirement.
The Grá Reformata, is an invented expansion of the Villanelle created by Michael King. The elements of the Grá Reformata are:
a verse form written with alternating 5 tercets and 4 couplets and ending in a quatrain, a poem in 27 lines.
iambic pentameter
alternating L1 and L3 of the first tercet as a refrain in L3 of subsequent tercets
ending the poem with a refrain taken from L1 and L3 in the first stanza.
written with only 2 end rhymes with a rhyme scheme of A¹bA² xx abA¹ xx abA² xx abA¹ xx abA² xx abA¹A². x being unrhymed.
The HexSonnetta is a verse form that is an invented variation of the sonnet. The form created by Andrea Dietrich has short lines and a prescribed pivot. "hex" meaning 6 is supported by the 2 septets and the 6 syllable lines. The elements of the HexSonnetta are:
a quatorzain made up of 2 sestets followed by a rhymed couplet.
metered, iambic trimeter.
rhymed, rhyme scheme abbaab cddccd ee.
turned, the pivot occurs between the septets and the exclamatory couplet sums up the 2 sestets and provides the solution to the problem set up in the 2 sestets.
Inverted Refrain is an invented form found at Shadow Poetry, created by the winner of their 2007 Chap Book Competition, Jan Turner and published in Faery Folk and Fireflies.I believe the form took its name from the rhetorical device, "inverted refrain", originally used by the ancient Greek poet Sappho. "Inverted refrain" is a writing technique in which the syntax of a line is reversed. eg ..the Sapphic line "I know not what to do". I am not sure that the composition instruction at Shadow Poetry exactly fits the literary definition of "inverted refrain" but the form could still be a fun challenge to conquer as long as it enhances the delivery of the poet's thoughts. The elements of the Inverted Refrain as an invented verse form are:
stanzaic, written in any number of sixains, made up of a quatrain followed by an indented couplet.
syllabic, all lines are 8 syllables.
rhymed, rhyme scheme ababab or ababba, cdcdcd or cdcddc etc.
composed in the following manner, "the first four lines of a stanza create a statement from which the last 2 lines extract the meaning, and invert the way it is said." Jan Turner @Shadow Poetry Finding Faeries by Jan Turner (stanza 1) the whole poem can be read at Shadow Poetry.
A sprinkling shine of faery dust
is mica-layered on the rocks
Pretending to be nature's crust
It really is a paradox: --------- A paradox of mica rocks From faery dust on nature's crust.
The Joseph's Star is an invented stanzaic form which follows a prescribed syllabic pattern. This is unlike many such patterns because it demands a complete phrase or thought in each line. The elements of the Joseph's Star are:
stanzaic, written in any number octaves.
syllabic, 1-3-5-7-7-5-3-1 syllables per line.
unrhymed.
composed with each line a complete phrase or thought.
The La Charta (Latin- charta = poem) is an invented stanzaic form by Laura Lamarca with a structured tumbling rhyme. The elements of the LaCharta are:
stanzaic, written in any number of sixains, minimum 3.
metric, accentual syllabic, iambic tetrameter.
rhymed, rhyme scheme aaaabb ccccdd eeeeff etc. The Boy Who Loved Laughter by Judi Van Gorder
The LaJemme is an invented verse form with a changing metric pattern and cross rhyming specific to the 4th syllable of the next line, created by Laura Lamarca and Jem Farmer. It seems a little contrived but if your poem has heart, it can work. The elements of the LaJemme are:
a poem written in 5 quatrains.
composed with a different metric and rhyme pattern for each of the stanzas.
Stanza 1 All lines iambic pentameter, rhyme abab, L1-L3 cross rhymed to the 4th syllable of the following line
x x x x x x x x x a
x x x a x x x x x b
x x x b x x x x x a
x x x a x x x x x b
Stanza 2 L1-L3 iambic tetrameter, L4 iambic tri-meter, rhyme cdef, couplets cross rhyme to the 4th syllable of the following line.
x x x x x x x c
x x x c x x x d d rhyme will be echoed in S3 L4-L5
x x x x x x x e
x x x e x f f rhyme will be echoed in S3 L2-L3
Stanza 3 L1-L3 iambic tetrameter, L4 iambic tri-meter, rhyme gfdf, L1-L3 cross rhymed to the 4th syllable of the following line
x x x x x x x g
x x x g x x x f
x x x f x x x d
x x x d x f
Stanza 4 All lines iambic pentameter, rhyme hihi, L1-L3 cross rhymed to the 4th syllable of the following li
x x x x x x x x x h
x x x h x x x x x I
x x x I x x x x x h
x x x h x x x x x i
Stanza 5 Repeats the pattern of Stanza 1 including the rhyme abab
x x x x x x x x x a
x x x a x x x x x b
x x x b x x x x x a
x x x a x x x x x b.
La'libertas, an invented verse form found at Shadow Poetry. Com, alternates syllabic, rhymed quatrains with sixains written without rhyme or metric specification and ends with a couplet in any language other than English framed at the poet's discretion. The La of La'libertas is from the creator's name, Laura Lamarca and libertas is Latin for liberty. The elements of the La'libertas are:
a 22 line poem made up of alternating quatrains and sixains and ending in a couplet.
composed with stanzas 1 and 3 syllabic, each line is 8 syllables. Stanzas 2, and 4 are unmetered and the closing couplet is framed at the discretion of the poet.
partially rhymed, stanza 1 and 3 are rhymed, stanza 1 - abba and stanza 3 baab. Stanza 2 and 4 are unrhymed and the final couplet is rhymed at the discretion of the poet.
ended with a couplet in any language except English framed at the discretion of the poet.
The Lannet is an invented verse form that appears to me to be a duplicate of the Unrhymed SonnetThe only discernable nuance is the syllabic lines rather than the 5 stressed accentual meter which can or cannot amount to the same thing. It was found at Shadow Poetry. The creator Laura Lamarca suggests internal rhyme is allowed and the stanza breaks are at the poet's discretion. This invented form seems redundant since the Unrhymed Sonnet can be found as far back as the 17th century. The elements of the Lannet are:
a quatorzain. The 14 lines may be unbroken or broken into stanzas at the poet's discretion.
composed with unrhymed end words but internal rhyme is allowed.
syllabic, 10 syllables per line. (Iambic pentameter lines are 10 syllables also but this form is not measured by an iambic pattern.)
composed without prescribed pivot.
The La'ritmo is an invented verse form with a changing refrain created by Laura Lamarca, The elements of the La'ritmo are:
a poem in 32 lines made up of 8 quatrains.
syllabic, dodecasyllabic (12 syllables)
rhymed, rhyme scheme aabb ccbB ddbB eeff ggfF hhfF iibB jjfF
written with a changing refrain, L8 is repeated as a refrain at L12 and L24, L20 is repeated as a refrain in L32
La'Tuin is an invented stanzaic form that reminds me of the Old French family of forms, the Ballade and its variations. The challenge of the form is the limited 3 rhyme sounds throughout the poem no matter how many stanzas are written. The form was found at Shadow Poetry.com. La of the name is from the name of the creator, Laura Lamara and Tuin is a giant turtle (a symbol of Mother Earth) from a Diskworld series. The elements of the La'Tuin are:
stanzaic, written in any number of quatrains, with a minimum of 4.
syllabic, alternating 9 and 8 syllable lines, beginning the poem with a 9 syllable line.
rhymed, turned on only 3 rhymes, rhyme scheme abca abca etc. repeated in each stanza.
The Lauranelle is an invented verse form which uses elements of both the Villanelle and the Terzanelle and was created by Laura Lamarca. The elements of the Lauranelle are:
a poem in 22 lines made up of 6 tercets followed by a quatrain.
metric, accentual syllabic, a strict iambic pentameter
L1 and L3 are repeated as the last 2 lines of the poem L21 and L22
rhyme with an interlocking rhyme scheme and a little twist in L16, A¹bA² bcb cdc ded efe fbf ggA¹A² Paradise Erupted by Judi Van Gorder
Lento found at Shadow Poetry is an invented verse form that has head and tail rhyme, uses rhyme at both ends of the line. It was created by Lencio Dominic Rodrigues. The elements of the Lento are:
an octastich made up of 2 quatrains.
unmetered.
rhymed. The first word of the line in each quatrain is mono-rhymed, rhyme scheme aaaa bbbb. The rhyme scheme of the end words is xcxc xdxd , x being unrhymed, although alternating rhyme could be used, cdcd efef. Fall's Fancy by Judi Van Gorder
The Licentia Rhyme Form is an invented stanzaic form created by Laura Lamarca and found at Shadow Poetry. This verse is a long form with a unique pattern of repetition. (licentia is Latin for "to be permitted") The elements of the Licentia Rhyme Form are:
stanzaic, written with 3 to 5 - 12 line stanzas made up of 6 rhymed couplets each.
syllabic, lines are 11 syllables each.
rhymed, rhyme scheme A¹A²B¹B²C¹C²D¹D²E¹E²A¹A², B¹B²ffgghhiiA¹A², C¹C²jjkkllmmA¹A² etc.
composed with repetition, L1 & L2 are repeated as L11 & L12 of each stanza including the first stanza. L3 & L4 are repeated as L1 & L2 of the 2nd stanza, L5 & L6 are repeated as L1 & L2 of the 3rd stanza, if more added, L7 & L8 are L1 & L2 of the 4th stanza and L9 & L10 are L1 & L2 of the 5th stanza....
Line Messaging is an invented poetic device or technique in which the last line of each stanza or strophe when read independently and consecutively, form a message, kind of a "last line" Acrostic. The term for this technique is the idea of Angel Favazza and found at Shadow Poetry.
Loop Poetry is an invented variation of the 17th century, French Chain Verse. This stanzaic form is attributed to Hellon at Shadow Poetry. The elements of the Loop Poetry are:
stanzaic, written with a minimum of 2 stanzas with the number of lines per stanza at the poet's discretion.
unmetered.
rhymed xaxa xbxb etc. x being unrhymed. When written in couplets the rhyme scheme is bizarre xx aa xxxx bb cc xxxx xx dd. x being unrhymed.
chained, the last word of each stanza is the first word of the next stanza.
Memento is a themed syllabic verse form. Created by Emily Romano and found at Shadow Poetry, the poem should celebrate a particular holiday or anniversary. The elements of the Memento are:
a hexastich, a poem in 6 lines made up of 2 tercets.
syllabic 8-6-2 8-6-2 syllables per line.
rhymed, rhyme scheme abc abc.
themed, honoring or celebrating a holiday or anniversary. Graduation by Judi Van Gorder Holiday at Low Tide by Judi Van Gorder
Mirrored Refrain is an invented stanzaic form which has 2 refrains which are flipped at the end of each stanza. This form was created by Stephanie Repayek. The elements of the Mirrored Refrain are:
stanzaic, written in 3 or more quatrains.
metered. Line length and pattern at the discretion of the poet.
rhymed, rhyme scheme xaBA xbAB xaBA etc. (note the form is turned on only 3 rhymes.) x being unrhymed.
posed with 2 refrains. L3 and L4 of the 1st quatrain become the refrain for subsequent stanzas. The refrains alternate position with each stanza.
Mirror Sestet is an invented stanzaic form which uses the 17th century French Chained Verse within each stanza but doesn't link the stanzas. It was created by Shelley A Cephas. The elements of the Mirror Sestet are:
stanzaic, written in any number of sixains, each made up of 3 couplets. (For the purists, technically the term sestet describes a 6 line stanza written in conjunction with other patterned stanzas as in the sonnet. When all of the stanzas are 6 lines, sixain or sexain is more accurate.)
unmetered. Line length and pattern are at the discretion of the poet.
rhymed, head and tail rhyme (1st word of the line rhymes with the last word in the line.) in L1,L3 and L5 of each stanza. (a variation would be to be unrhymed.)
chained, Chain Verse L1,L2 are linked by the last word of the first line is the first word of the next line. L3,L4, and L5,L6 are also linked in the same manner.
The Musette is an invented verse form that presents the challenge of writing in very short lines. This form was introduced by Emily Romano and found only at Shadow Poetry. The elements of the Musette are:
stanzaic, written in any number of tercets.
syllabic, 2-4-2 2-4-2 2-4-2 syllables per line.
rhymed axa bxb cxc etc. x being unrhymed.
Nove Otto is an invented verse form with a little different rhyme scheme, created by Scott J. Alcorn. The elements of the Nove Otto are:
a poem in 9 lines.
syllabic, 8 syllables per line.
rhymed aacbbcddc.
Octameter not only means 8 metric feet in a line, it also is the name of an invented verse form that isn't metric at all. This was created by Shelley A Cephas. The elements of the Octameter verse form are:
16 line frame made up of 2 octaves.
syllabic, lines of 5 syllables each.
rhymed, rhyme scheme xxabxbxb cxacxcbb x being unrhymed. (sometimes you just have to wonder)
Octelle is an invented form that specifically asks that the poem include personification and symbolism. It was created by Emily Romano. The elements of the Octelle are:
an octastich, a poem in 8 lines.
syllabic, 8-8-7-7-7-7-8-8 syllables per line.
rhymed, rhyme scheme A1A2bbccA1A2
L1 is repeated as L7 and L2 is repeated as L8.
Oddquain is a pentastich with odd numbered syllabled lines that add up to 17 syllables. The elements of the Oddquain are:
a pentastich, a poem in 5 lines or it can be stanzaic, written in any number of cinquains.
syllabic, 1-3-5-7-1 syllables per line.
usually unrhymed.
written in variation:
Crown of Oddquains - written in 5 cinquains. A crown always is written with the last line of the stanza repeated as the first line of the next stanza.
Reverse Oddquains, written with reverse syllable count 1-7-5-3-1,
Mirror Oddquain, written in 2 cinquains, syllable count 1-3-5-7-1 1-7-5-3-1.
Oddquain Butterflies - merges the 2 stanzas of the mirror cinquain by deleting the 1st line of the second stanza, syllables 1-3-5-7-1-7-5-3-1.
Parallelogram de Crystalline is an invented verse form with a thematic focus. The subject is a lover and the lover should be described through images of nature. It was introduced by Karan Naidu. The elements of the Parallelogram de Crystalline are:
a poem in 12 lines, made up of 4 tercets.
syllabic 3-6-9 syllables per line for each tercet.
unrhymed.
Puente (Spanish-puente=bridge) is a thematic verse with a specific yet discretionary frame. It is written in 2 equal yet contrasting parts with a single line bridging the two parallels. It was introduced by James Rasmusson inspired by the anthology, A Poetry Bridge to All Nations by Connie Marcum Wong and by the actions of his step-daughter Mira Conklin who "walked the migrant trail in Mexico with 12 other Americans 'to explore the root causes of northward migration'". The elements of the Puente are:
isostrophic, written in 2 strophes with the same frame at the discretion of the poet and "bridged" by a single line that carries the theme of the poem. The separate strophes should be parallels to one another.
meter and rhyme at the discretion of the poet.
The Quadrilew is an invented verse form with alternating syllabic patterns and a tumbling refrain. Introduced by C.V.G.Lewis at Shadow Poetry. The elements of the Quadrilew are:
is a poem in 16 lines made up of 4 quatrains.
syllabic, alternating stanzas of 5-6-5-6 6-5-6-5 5-6-5-6 6-5-6-5 or the opposite 6-5-6-5 5-6-5-6 etc.
The lines of the first stanza are repeated as a tumbling refrain positioned in the first line of subsequent stanzas. L2 repeated as L5, L3 is repeated as L9, and L4 is repeated as L13.
rhymed rhyme scheme aB1AB2> B1cbc Adad B2ebe. lower case = rhyme; upper case = refrain.
RemyLa Rhyme is a stanzaic chain form. It was introduced by Laura Lamarca and named for her daughter. The elements of the RemyLa Rhyme are:
stanzaic, written in 3 or more quatrains.
syllabic, 8-10-12-8 syllables per line in each quatrain.
rhymed, axxa bxxb cxxc dxxd etc. - x being unrhymed.
a stanzaic Chain Verse, the last word of each stanza is the first word of the next stanza creating a linking effect.
Septolet is the name of 2 different invented forms. One found at Shadow Poetry and one found at Mrs. Reese's Elementary. Both are written in 7 lines.
The elements of the Septolet found at Shadow Poetry are:
a poem in 7 lines broken into 2 strophes complimenting one another to complete an image.
Written in 14 words. Let the Games Begin by Judi Van Gorder
animals without clothes by Geoffrey Le Voguer
with clothes
chasing
unfledged tails
oblivious to stars,
not knowing
yet their place.
depression by Tammi aka Moonqueen
falling through
a hole
without bottom
i no longer
distinguish
between
solace and horror
The elements of the Septolet found at Mrs. Reese's Elementary are:
a heptastich, a poem in 7 lines.
syllabic 1-2-3-4-3-2-1 per line. zi
single
syllable
word character
of written
Chinese
verse. -- judi van gorder
Staccato an invented stanzaic form which attempts to emulate the musical staccato rhythm with emphatic two syllable refrains inserted in L3 and L6 of each stanza. Jan Turner created a form with internal rhyme and variable meter. The elements of the Staccato are:
stanzaic, written in 2 or more sixains.
metric, iambic, L1,L2,L5,L6 are pentameter, L3 and L4 are tetrameter.
rhymed aabbcc ddeeff gghhii. Internal rhyme occurs between L1 and L2 midway in the lines.
written with an emphatic, two syllable refrain repeated twice at the beginning of L3 and once at the beginning of L6 of each stanza.
Swap Quatrain is an invented stanzaic form that repeats L1 in inverted sytax as a refrain in L4 of the same stanza. Created by Lorraine M Kanter. The elements of the Swap Quatrain are:
stanzaic, written in any number of quatrains.
metered at the discretion of the poet. However the lines must be long enough to create 2 hemistiches
written with 2 phrases of L1 of each stanza inverted and repeated as L4 in a refrain.
rhymed aabb ccdd
Switching phrases, verse form invented.
Very simple device presented
becomes titled poetic basis.
Verse form invented, switching phrases.
~~jvg
Synchronicity is an invented verse form written in the first person revealing accidental yet seemingly synchronized events. Created by Debra Gundy who suggests there be a pivot or twist in the last quarter of the poem. Synchronicity is the simultaneous occurence of events which appear meaningfully related but have no discoverable causal connection. The elements of the Synchronicity are:
stanzaic, written 4 or more tercets.
< syllabic, 8-8-2 syllables per line of each tercet.
unrhymed.
written in the first person describing simultaneous events that appear to be connected but could simply be coincidental.
written with a pivot or twist occurring at the last quarter of the poem.
The Tableau is an invented stanzaic form that paints a single image in keeping with the name of the form, tableau meaning picture. Created by Emily Romano who suggests the word "tableau" be included in the title. The elements of the Tableau are:
stanzaic, written in any number of sixains.
syllabic, 5 syllable lines.
rhyme at the discretion of the poet.
written describing a single image.
written with a title that includes the word "tableau". Cease Fire in Syria by Judi Van Gorder
Tri-fall is an invented verse form that groups lines and rhyme in threes. Created by Jan Turner who suggest little or no punctuation be used. The elements of the Tri-fall are:
a poem in 18 lines made up of 3 sixains.
syllabic, 6-3-8-6-3-8 syllables per line.
rhymed, rhyme scheme abcabc defdef ghighi.
written with little or no punctuation.
The Trilonnet is a 14 line invented verse form that doesn't claim to be a sonnet. Created by Shelley A Cephas who offers two options in both meter and rhyme scheme. The elements of the Trilonnet are:
a 14 line poem made up of 4 tercets followed by a rhymed couplet.
metered, iambic, either pentameter (10 syllables) or tetrameter (8 syllables).
rhymed abc abc abc abc dd or abc cba abc cba dd. Dancing With Roses by Judi Van Gorder
Trijan Refrain, another invented form created by and named for Jan Turner and the recommended number of stanzas within the structure. It was found at Shadow Poetry . The elements of the Trijan Refrain are:
stanzaic, written in any number of 9-line stanzas (3 are recommended).
syllabic, 8-6-8-6-8-8-4-4-8.
rhymed, AbabccDDc AeaeffGGf AhahiiJJi
composed with a refrain within the stanza, the first 4 syllables of L5 are repeated as a refrain in L7 and L8.
written a refrain between stanzas, L1 of the first stanza repeated as L1 of each subsequent stanza. There is a variation in which L1 is not repeated in the subsequent stanzas, in that scenario the rhyme scheme is ababccDDc efefggHHg ijijkkLLk. Sweet Destiny by Jan Turner (stanza 1)
Oh destiny, sweet destiny,
Come silent in the night,
And teach my spirit how to see
Within tomorrow's light.
I know I'll strive to do what's best
For humankind's eternal quest. . .
I know I'll strive
I know I'll strive
Oh destiny to meet the test.
Trinet is an invented stanzaic form that is measured in words rather than syllables or metric feet. Created by zion, the poem should be centered on the page. The elements of the Trinet are:
stanzaic written in any number of septets (3 are recommended)
measured in words, 2-2-6-6-2-2-2 word in each line.
unrhymed.
centered on the page to appear as crosses.
The Triquain is one of 2 different forms, one found in Viola Berg's Pathways for a Poet, 1977 and the other found at Shadow Poetry which appears to have been created about 25 years later by Shelly Cephas. The form as described in Berg's book is a syllabic tristich and the form at Shadow Poetry is a syllabic heptastich. The elements of the Triquain at Shadow Poetry are:
a heptastich, a poem in 7 lines.
syllabic, 3-6-9-12-9-6-3 syllables per line.
rhymed at the discretion of the poet.
variable:
chain of 2 to 4 triquains. (Note: A stanzaic chain is always written with the last word of each stanza repeated as the first word of the next stanza. However, this feature of the chain was not mentioned with the original instructions of the Triquain and is not used in the example poem and is therefore apparently optional.)
written as a crown in 5 stand alone linked stanzas (A crown is always written with the last line of each stanza repeated as the first line of the next stanza. Again, there is no mention of this feature in the original description of the form and no example.
written in a swirl joining the stanzas and eliminating the beginning 3 syllable line of each subsequent stanza. 3-6-9-11-9-6-3-6-9-12-9-6-3 etc.
snowman by Geoffrey Le Voguer (a triquain swirl)
all of my
careful efforts in vain
buttons up front to the coal dark eyes
and toper's nose with seasonal smile-- there he stood
a lone titan of his ilk-- until
the school bell rang early-
-then down camea hullabaloo horde
pelting at all in their way-- until
they saw him and couldn't contain their glee-- and I
swear we both shared such a baleful look
as snowballing children
tore him down
The Triquatrain is an invented stanzaic form, obviously written in quatrains. The form, created by Robert L Huntsman, has an added feature of internal rhyme. The elements of the Triquatrain are:
written in any number of quatrains.
metered at the discretion of the poet.
rhymed, employing internal rhyme in L1 and L3 of each quatrain, the rhyme scheme is (a-a)b(c-c)b (d-d)e(f-f)e etc.
The Triquint is an invented verse form that repeats a refrain in L3 and L4 of each stanza. Created by Sylvia A Feeley, the form is name for the 3 cinquains that make up the poem. The elements of the Triquint are:
a poem in 15 lines made up of 3 cinquains.
syllabic, 9-7-5-3-1 syllables per line.
rhymed, turned only 2 rhymes, rhyme scheme aaA1A2b aaA1A2b aaA1A2b.
written with a refrain, repeating L3 and L4 of the first stanza in the same position of the 2nd and 3rd stanzas.
Trois-par-Huit is an invented verse form named for its number of lines and stanzas, three by eight. Created by Lorraine M. Kanter. It could have been influenced by the French traditional form, Hutain. The elements of the Trois-par-Huit are:
an octastich, a poem in 8 lines made up of either 2 tercets followed by a couplet or a tercet, a couplet, a tercet, in that order.
syllabic, 3-6-9-12-12-9-6-3 regardless of stanza arrangement.
rhymed, aab bbc dd or aab bb ccc.
last line acts as a summary.
centered on the page.
Trolaan is an invented stanzaic form that uses the ancient Welsh technique cymeriad that begins each line of a stanza with the same consonant and takes it a step further. Created by Valerie Peterson Brown, the quatrains have a specific rhyme scheme but the meter is at the discretion of the poet. The elements of the Trolaan are:
stanzaic, written in 4 quatrains.
metered at the discretion of the poet.
rhymed, abab cdcd efef ghgh. (Even lined rhyme is on the unstressed syllable of of 2 syllable end words which is also a Welsh technique, cywydd. In English, rhyme is normally on the stressed syllable.
written with cymeriad, the first letter of each line in each quatrain is the same, although this form takes it a step further and in each subsequent quatrain the repeated beginning letter changes. The 2nd stanza begins with the 2nd letter of the first word of the poem, the 3rd stanza begins with the 2nd letter of the first word of the 2nd stanza, the 4th stanza begins with the 2nd letter of the first word of the 3rd stanza etc. Jungle Tale by Judi Van Gorder
Vers Beaucoup French-many rhymes) is an invented stanzaic form that is riddled with rhyme. Created by Curt Mongold who suggest the lines within the quatrains be enjambed. The elements of the Vers Beaucoup are:
stanzaic, written in any number of quatrains.
metered at the discretion of the poet.
rhymed, including multiple internal rhyme sounds. Rhyme scheme (a-a-a)(a-b-b)(b-c-c)(c-d-d) (e-e-e)(e-f-f)(f-g-g)(g-h-h) etc.
Wrapped Refrain is an invented stanzaic form created by Jan Turner brings each stanza full circle by repeated the first 4 syllables of the stanza as the last 4 syllables of the stanza reminiscent of the French rentrament, repeating the first phrase of the stanza as a the last phrase of the stanza. The elements of the Wrapped Refrain are:
stanzaic, written in any number of sixains or octaves.
syllabic, 8-8-8-8-12-12 syllables per lines when written in sixains, 14-14-8-8-8-8-14-14 syllables per line when written in octaves.
rhymed, aabbcc ddeeff etc. when written in sixains and aabbccdd eeffgghh etc when written in octaves.
written with each sixain repeating the first 4 syllables of L1 as the last 4 syllables of L6 or each octave repeating the first 10 syllables of L1 as the last 10 syllables of L8. Since You've Gone by Judi Van Gorder
ZaniLa Rhyme is an invented stanzaic form created by Laura Lamarca and employs internal rhyme. The elements of the ZaniLa Rhyme are:
stanzaic, written in no less than 3 quatrains.
syllabic, 9-7-9-9 syllables per line.
rhymed, xa(b-B)a xc(b-B)c xd(b-B)d etc.
written with L3 of the first stanza repeated as a refrain in L3 of each subsequent stanza.